Nigerian Workers Threaten National Grid And Telecom Shutdown Over Ajaero’s Potential Arrest

Workers in Nigeria’s telecommunications and electricity sectors have issued a stark warning: they will shut down the National Grid and disrupt telecom services starting midnight Wednesday if the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, is arrested by the Nigeria Police Force.

This threat was communicated in separate notices on Tuesday by Dominic Igwebike, General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), and Mary Nwosu, General Secretary of the National Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE).

The escalation follows a police summons issued to Ajaero on Monday, in which he was called in for questioning on allegations including links to terrorism financing. Ajaero, however, declined the invitation due to its late notice, stating he would instead appear on Wednesday, August 29.

In response, unions including NUEE and NUPTE have vowed to initiate a shutdown if Ajaero is detained. The NUEE, representing workers in the Transmission Company of Nigeria, explicitly stated in their notice, “Upon any arrest of the NLC President or any other Labour Leader, all workers are to down tools from 12 midnight, August 21, 2024.”

NUPTE, which includes workers from the postal and telecom sectors, echoed this stance, following NUEE’s lead in the potential industrial action.

The NLC, after a meeting on Tuesday, also declared its intention to launch a nationwide strike should Ajaero be arrested. This looming shutdown poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s economy, given that electricity and telecommunications are critical sectors.

This situation recalls the events of June 3, when the National Grid was shut down, plunging Nigeria into darkness after workers embarked on an indefinite strike. The current warnings indicate a similar disruption could be imminent.